To prepare a Historic Structures Report with a Comprehensive Energy Plan for building reuse at the Soap Factory, a contributing resource in the St. Anthony Falls Historic District and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
This project will connect Somali youth to their rich cultural heritage through arts and language. The Somali Youth Cultural Empowerment project will ensure youth learn their native Somali language and culture through classes taught by Somali teachers and will participate in the cultural tradition of Danta Dance. A dance group will perform at cultural events, with music performed live from previous members of the Somali supergroup, Waaberi, and thus, share Somali art culture with Minnesotans.
The Somali Museum of Minnesota will curate and present two new monthly series of public programs designed to amplify, celebrate, and preserve Somali culture. The first series will be gallery-based and draw from the museum’s collection to offer Somali language, cultural and history instruction targeted to Somali families and school age youth. The second series, designed for a broader audience, will present artist talks and demonstrations, dance performances, exhibitions, and poetry readings.
The Somali Language and Culture Classes Project will honor and preserve Somali culture by first, connecting Somali youth to their rich cultural heritage through arts and language classes and second, by providing a class for others in the mainstream Minnesota community to learn about Somali language and culture. This project will pilot teaching Somali language and culture through utilizing taped sessions with an in-person bi-lingual facilitator in order to allow for future sustainability.
This project will support the newly developed Somali Heritage Language Program. Somali has rich oral traditions as foundational elements of language usage and development. As a less commonly taught language, Somali often lacks accessible curricula within mainstream publishing companies. It will specifically support the development or continuation of projects at four school sites: Sullivan Steam Magnet, Lyndale Community School, Heritage Academy and South High.
